One Tin Soldier
by Alex Glaven
Summary: *Akiko* Just tying up loose ends *complete*
1. Chapter 1

Okay, yeah, I know I have enough fics, but I was singing the song and I  
HAD to write this, so, yeah...this was also sort of inspired by Triad  
Orion's "Paladin's Heart", 'cause, y'know, the Vale Kingdom thing and  
everything...   
Garet: Akiko doesn't own Golden Sun. It's owned by Camelot. She also  
doesn't own the song "One Tin Soldier", whoever that belongs to.  
Yeah, I learned it in some choir thing, I have no idea...but I'm sure  
SOMEONE will tell me!  
Garet: Hm...  
  
One Tin Soldier  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Isaac yawned, leaning over the battlements of the castle. A  
slight breeze played with his blonde hair, and somewhere on the grounds  
he could hear birds singing.   
  
The Vale Castle was carved directly from Mount Aleph. The huge  
mountain curved ridges of rock around the castle walls, like a mother  
holding a child in her arms. The ridges met, and trailed down to Aleph  
Valley. It was a strategic location, the mountain at their backs, the  
valley below. While strategy may had been on the minds of his ancestors,  
Isaac had only come to the battlements for the view. War of any kind was  
far from his mind, it had been centuries since Vale had been forced to  
take up arms to defend its walls, or the village of Vault, nestled in the  
valley just at the base of the mountain. Vale was a small, peaceful  
country. No one wanted to start a war over such a small land, and Vale  
didn't want to make any enemies.  
  
"Prince Isaac," a large hand came down on his shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Garet," Isaac didn't even turn around, he knew who it was.   
Garet was the Captain of his personal guard. He only had a personal  
guard after the insistence of his mother, Queen Dora, after his father  
had died in a hunting accident.   
  
Garet leaned back against the parparet. He glanced over his  
shoulder at the view, before returning to scanning the castle grounds,  
twirling a dagger in his fingers like he always did when he was nervous.  
  
Garet was much taller than him, it didn't help that his auburn hair stood  
practically on end. He was also broad shouldered and large chested,  
someone you wouldn't want to pick a fight with in a dark alley way...or  
anywhere else, for that matter. Garet was only a year older than Isaac,  
but he had served under his father for many years before becoming Isaac's  
guard. "I'm afraid I come bearing bad news."  
  
"What is it?" Isaac was more curious than alarmed. In Vale, the  
words "bad news" meant "good gossip".   
  
"It's the village," Garet pointed over his shoulder with his  
dagger. "They've been demanding the treasure. They say they're kill for  
it."  
  
"Kill for the treasure?" Isaac almost laughed. "The treasure  
under the stone? That's ridiculous!"  
  
Garet pulled a rolled up scroll from a concealed pouch. "If you  
want to read it, go ahead."  
  
"There's no need for that," Isaac shook his head, grinning.   
"Return a message to them, tell them that we'll share the treasure with  
them if they want it so badly!"  
  
"Done," Garet nodded, and began walking towards the stairs.  
  
"Garet...does the Queen know about this?" Isaac asked.  
  
"Queen Dora has not been informed, no," Garet turned.  
  
"No sense in telling her," Isaac smiled. "Go on, Garet. Thank  
you."  
  
"Yes, my prince."  
  
And that's...all...for now.  
Garet: She has the entire thing written out, she's just being a brat.  
I do not!   
Garet: Yes, you do.  
Okay, so I do, but they didn't need to know that?  
Garet: Who's they?  
What?  
Garet: Are you talking to the voices again?  
Wha...no!  
Garet: Akiko, the voices aren't real.  
AAAAAAAAAAAGH! 


	2. Chapter 2

Ee...I shouldn't write fics like this while listening to my loud, angry  
music. ^_^;;;   
Garet: Or when you're in a bad mood.  
Yeah, but at least I was able to write Jenna right for once.  
Garet: Yeah, for once.  
You're not supposed to agree with me! Anyway, enjoy!  
  
One Tin Soldier  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"So, Prince Isaac won't take the situation seriously."  
  
Garet glanced over at Jenna, the only female officer in the guard  
and second in command only to him. She was pretty enough, but he could  
tell under the lightweight leather and metal armor she wore she was  
strong and lithe, and as tough as any officer underneath him.  
  
"No," he replied simply.  
  
Jenna swore, loudly.   
  
"I have dispatched a messenger," Garet informed her. His dagger  
was out again, and he polished it until it shone, but he kept moving the  
rag uselessly over it anyways. "I doubt they'll listen."  
  
"I doubt the messenger will return," Jenna snorted, leaning over  
a windowsill. They were in the enterior of the castle, it was an idea  
place to have a private conversation on a beautiful day, the few servants  
that scurried by wouldn't say anything that they had heard. The rough  
stone seemed to radiate a sense of sturdy calm, but if Garet knew Jenna  
at all, she was anything but calm. Out of all of his officers, she was  
the most hot headed of the lot, but despite that she was a good person to  
talk tactics with. Being very pessimistic wasn't always a bad thing.  
  
Garet listened to a bird outside the window trill a few notes of  
it's song before he replied. "No, I suppose you're right."  
  
"For centuries everything's been so peaceful," Jenna gazed up at  
the sky, the blue unbroken except for a handful of whispy clouds. "And  
yet, the villagers would be willing to destroy that piece and kill for a  
couple handfuls of gold."  
  
"They're only human," Garet reminded her.  
  
Jenna rested her hand on the pommel of the light sword at her  
side, a sure sign that she didn't agree. "I don't care. Lives aren't  
something you can just throw away for anything..."  
  
Garet nodded sympathetically. He knew very well that both of her  
parents had died only a few short years ago. Shortly after her brother,  
Felix, was excepted in the Bard's Guild. He had left Vale, never to  
return to the painful memories the village and the castle held.  
  
"Talk to him, he usually listens to you," Jenna turned her gaze  
from the window to look at him. "We need him to now."  
  
"I'll do that," Garet nodded.  
  
Yup...and stuff.  
Garet: She'll be back with Chapter 3...eventually.  
Yup. ^_^;;; Sorry these are so short, but yeah...I don't want to post  
the entire story at once! It's too much fun to torture you!  
Garet: Review or she'll never, ever post more.  
Yup! ^_^ 


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, I'm back! This story is going to go much faster now, so hang on  
tight! Oh, and I don't own anything, so don't sue!  
  
One Tin Soldier  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"My prince..." Garet began. He had found Isaac in the library, a  
strange place to find a prince of any other origin, but Prince Isaac  
enjoyed reading more than anything else. Isaac, who was reading a book,  
nodded slightly before putting the novel down. "I must tell you, I fear  
that the villagers will not take kindly to your message."  
  
"Why not?" Isaac asked. "We promised to share the treasure with  
them, what more could they ask for?"  
  
"Nothing was sent with the messenger," Garet said, his voice  
hard. "The village will see your promise as an empty one. They will not  
stand to be treated like idiots."  
  
"Garet, you know as well as I do that the treasure-"  
  
Isaac was cut off by the tolling of the alarm bell.  
  
The great bronze bell hadn't been rung since the day that Isaac's  
father had died, but now it's ringing filled the castle, shaking dust  
from the ceilings. Isaac looked to Garet for an answer, his blue eyes  
wide.   
  
"Why is the alarm bell-?" he began, but Garet didn't bother to  
let his Prince finish the statement. He was making a dash towards the  
outside walls.  
  
He got there in a few minutes, but everything was chaos.   
  
The draw bridge across the moat hadn't been lifted for years, and  
now troups of peasants stormed across it, some mounted, others with rusty  
swords passed through generations, many others still with pitchforks and  
torches. Anything that could be burned was lit afire, and most of his  
own guards were cut down before they could even have a chance to  
retaliate.  
  
"Armsmen to me!" he yelled, drawing his sword. "Armsmen to me!"  
  
But his guards, for all of their shining armor and brightly  
polished swords had never seen real combat, had never had their own lives  
at risk. Too many were cut down before they could even get to him.  
  
Garet shoved his sword into the first peasant that came even  
close to him. He stabbed and thrust, his foe had never been trained for  
combat, and were easily defeated.   
  
It wasn't long before they were giving him a wide birth, but  
despite his efforts villagers, people he had gone down and worked with in  
the fields at harvest time, people that greeted him with a smile and a  
wave when he passed were swarming into the castle, killing off the other  
guards and laying waste to the beautiful castle.  
  
We're nearing the end, aren't we? AAAAAAAAAH! Well, those of you who  
know the outcome can cry, the rest of you will be in utter suspense. 


	4. Chapter 4

Probably the shortest chapter. Sorry. For the last time, I don't own  
anything.  
  
"Isaac, stay close to me," Jenna shoved the Prince behind her.   
The narrow corridor wasn't exactly to her advantage, but she would have  
to make do. "We have to live through this, somehow."  
  
"Jenna-"  
  
"There's not time for talking, we're under attack," Jenna  
snapped, ignoring further protests from Isaac. She drew her twin  
katanas, ready to face the tidal wave of villagers that were coming  
towards her and her charge.  
  
The first few met an unlucky end at the edge of her blades, their  
blood spilling onto the corridor floor. The rest of the mob got smart,  
standing back farther than she dared to reach.  
  
She wasn't aware that someone with them had a cross bow until she  
heard a strangled cry behind her. She whirled around, to see Isaac,  
lying on his side, a bolt in his throat. "My Prince!"  
  
The next bolt caught her between the shoulder blades, and all  
faded into darkness.  
  
Once again, sorry for the short chapter. Only two more chapters to go,  
and then it's over! 


	5. Chapter 5

One Tin Soldier  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Here's the treasure you fought for," Garet spat. They had left  
him alive, so he could watch the villagers parading Prince Isaac and  
Queen Dora's head around on stakes, to see Jenna's body burned as if she  
were a common witch, but most importantly to show them the treasure.  
  
"Good," one of the villagers, probably their leader, made a  
motion with his hand. Mt. Aleph had never seen a darker day. Wind  
whistled through the empty corridors of the castle, blood stained it's  
rocks a deep crimson. Garet wanted to cry, but he couldn't. Not now.   
Not now.  
  
At his signal four other villagers stepped forward, each grasping  
a corner of the stone and lifting it up, carrying it a few feet off and  
allowing it to roll down the mountain. Garet watched men, woman, and  
children, their faces streaked with blood and grime, lean forward in  
anticipation.  
  
Beneath the stone were no fabulous jewels, no piles of gold and  
silver. Only a deeply carved inscription, that only read:  
  
"Peace on Earth."  
  
Silence replaced the jeering and laughing, the only sound the  
wind playing among the rocks.  
  
After an eternity, the leader dropped the makeshift spear he had  
been holding. "What...have we done?"  
  
"You've opened up our borders, that's what you've done," Garet  
growled. "Before we were a small, harmless country. But now all you are  
is a band of leaderless peasants on a prime piece of land. You know what  
that means? War. Real war. Please, let me go. Some of the people that  
died here had families, they deserve to know what happened."  
  
The stunned silence continued.  
  
One chapter to go! 


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, just wanted to say to Snoopy, as much as I love you (speaking in a  
strictly platonic way) that Elena didn't write this. I, Akiko, did. I  
mean, it's okay if you think Elena did, but yeah...just thought I'd stick  
up for myself, take credit for what I did. Of course, this fic wouldn't  
have gotten ANYWHERE without the lovely Elena there to post it. So, yes,  
credit does go to Elena for creating the account and posting the story,  
but the story is mine. (Mine! All MINE! ::evil laughter, choking,  
hacking, wheezing::)   
Okay, now that I have THAT off my chest, here we go! Final chapter!   
(dun dun dum...) I know that parts of this fic have been REALLY lame (so  
why am I taking credit for it...? Oh yeah, to not tarnish Elena's  
reputation with this trash...) but I hope this is a fitting end. ENJ-  
Isaac: ::in marker that writes in different colors "Ahem"::  
Oh, and Isaac apparently wants to say something.  
Isaac: ::in the happy special rainbow colored marker "Yes. Akiko  
doesn't own anything, enjoy the fic"::  
I could of said that.  
Isaac: ::in split purple and yellow "But it's my job!"::  
Oh. Right. Thanks, Isaac.  
Isaac: ::in greenish blue "Your welcome"::  
  
Okay, here's the end!  
  
********  
  
One Tin Soldier  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Garet almost smiled, watching Hammet's young children gather  
around Felix. The young Bard had been stationed in a noble house in  
Kalay. He was stronger than he looked, the news of his sister only kept  
him down for a long time. Now he was smiling and laughing with the  
children.  
Garet couldn't laugh, he'd seen too much death. After several  
days of keeping him tied and locked in a storage house, the people of  
Vault had allowed him an old nag and had let him go. Only after he was  
far away from the village did he cry, cry for a dead kingdom that had  
only known peace.  
He had found Felix in Kalay, and had been given a position in the  
guard. Guarding young children wasn't very exciting, but it was a quiet  
job, and he couldn't as for anything more.  
"Sing us a song!" Layana, named after her mother, begged,  
breaking through Garet's thoughts.  
"Yeah, please!" the other children chorused.  
"What do you think?" Felix looked up to the oldest boy at  
fifteen, Ivan. "What do you want to hear?"  
Ivan was trying hard not to be as excited as his younger  
siblings, but his violet eyes lit up the same. "Something true."  
"Alright," Felix sat down, right on the stone, and began  
strumming his lute. Garet, who didn't recognize the tune, leaned forward  
on his spear.  
  
"Listen children to a story   
That was written long ago  
'Bout a Kindgom on a mountain  
And the valley folk below  
On the mountain was a treasure  
Buried deep beneath the stone  
And the valley people swore  
They'd have it for their very own  
  
Go ahead and hate your neighbor  
Go ahead and cheat a friend  
Do it in the name of Heaven  
You can justify it in the end  
There won't be any trumpets blowing  
Come the judgement day  
And on the bloody morning after  
One tin soldier rides away  
  
Now the people of the valley  
Sent a message up the hill  
Asking for the buried treasure  
Tons of gold for which they'd kill  
Came the answer from the kingdom  
With our brothers we will share  
All the secrets of our mountain  
All the treasure buried there  
  
Go ahead and hate your neighbor  
Go ahead and cheat a friend  
Do it in the name of Heaven  
You can justify it in the end  
There won't be any trumpets blowing  
Come the judgement day  
And on the bloody morning after  
One tin soldier rides away  
  
Now the valley cried with anger  
Mount your horses   
Draw your sword  
And they killed the mountain people  
So they won their just reward  
Now they stood beside the treasure  
On the mountain dark and red  
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...  
'Peace on Earth'  
Was all it said  
  
Go ahead and hate your neighbor  
Go ahead and cheat a friend  
Do it in the name of Heaven  
You can justify it in the end  
There won't be any trumpets blowing  
Come the judgement day  
And on the bloody morning after  
One tin soldier rides away..."  
  
"Is that really true?" little Layana looked up at him, a frown of  
disbelief on her face.  
"Yes, it is," Felix looked up, straight at Garet, tears in his  
eyes. Garet realized that tears were streaming down his own cheeks.  
He couldn't have put that story into better words.  
  
And that's all! Yup, I know, it was sad and probably really sucked, but  
I felt the need to finish it and didn't take overly long in doing so.   
Well, hope you enjoyed that! 


End file.
